


Fieldwork Unlocked

by Jennawynn



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-25
Updated: 2016-01-14
Packaged: 2018-05-03 07:01:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 18,366
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5281244
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jennawynn/pseuds/Jennawynn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is a companion piece to Fieldwork. It is *not* the entire fic. If you wish to read the fic, read it here: http://archiveofourown.org/works/4735304/chapters/10822817</p>
<p>This is simply a translated version of the fic, with only those chapters that had untranslated conversations. If you read this, you WILL have some plot points spoiled. The fic is written assuming that the reader only knows as much as Asami, so reading these translations will elevate your knowledge above that point.  </p>
<p>DO NOT READ THIS IF YOU DON'T WANT SPOILERS.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 3 translation

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Fieldwork](https://archiveofourown.org/works/4735304) by [Jennawynn](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jennawynn/pseuds/Jennawynn). 



> SPOILERS AHEAD, DON'T SAY I DIDN'T WARN YOU
> 
> This is from chapter 3 (http://archiveofourown.org/works/4735304/chapters/10839098)

Sitting in darkness, surrounded by fierce looking strangers with terrible reputations, Asami thought she’d feel more anxious, but as time went on, she found herself relaxing more and more. At first the Valkakdo-speaker and one of the others had been chatting in this other language she hadn’t heard before, and she was trying to pick out the phonetic sounds, whispering them to herself so she could chart them when she had her journals.

 

“ **Did you see his face? I thought he was going to cry** ,” one of the others said.

 

Booming laughter filled her ears and she felt strangely at ease. “ **It’s a good thing he didn’t see Naga then**.” _I wonder what they’re laughing about. Their language is certainly more complex than what he was using with me._

 

“ **Do you think she’ll scare this one? She wasn’t cowering like the boy**.” Asami’s thoughts of the complexity of language scattered when she realized that the pitch of the voice coming from the rear of the sled indicated that the third warrior was a woman. _How interesting. I wonder if they have gender roles or not. She was probably the shorter one. The one with the darker furs. She seemed to have some power over the tall one, stopping him from advancing. Is it status? Military rank? Maybe familial—_

AAAAAOOOOOOO!!!!! Asami’s internal musings were suddenly interrupted by a great howl and she involuntarily stiffened and fell to her side, arms around her head, trying to make herself as small as possible in case of some animal attack.  When she landed, though, it wasn’t the hard wood of the sled she felt but something softer. When she realized she could hear laughter and felt the jostling of the person below her, she realized she must have fallen headfirst into one of their laps.

 

She tried to scramble back up to her sitting position, but thanks to the hood, she didn’t know where to put her hands to heave herself upright. She felt the person she’d fallen on put his hands on her shoulders to steady her and help her up. “ _Sdika. Glunao_.” _At least one of them should have understood that to mean I was sorry and thank you for helping me back up. How embarrassing._

 

She heard the Valkakdo-speaker, somewhere in front of and to the other side of her, say, “Pulkav. Molda.” _He must be translating for the others. Pulkav means sorry and Molda means thank you._

 

“Pulkav. Molda,” Asami said, getting a feel for the words. She realized that she couldn’t hear any of the three warriors and only the rhythmic thumps of whatever was pulling the sled. _Oh no, did I say something wrong? If I just say ‘bad’ will he understand what I’m asking?_ “Nuro?”

 

“ **She wants to know if she did something wrong**.”

 

“ **Tell her… no. She just surprised us** ,” the woman’s voice replied slowly.

 

Her words must have hit the wrong tone for the translator because he answered in a flatter tone of voice, “ **If you know how to say that in Valkakdo, be my guest. You have to keep it simple** , Korra.”

 

“ **Then say no, Nuktuk. Do you know ‘no’**?” Her voice held a strange mixture of anger and amusement.

 

“Va. Nav nuro.” _No. Not bad. Well… that’s good. I haven’t screwed this up on the very first day. I wonder if they’d tell me their names._

 

“Vano Asami Sato.” After a pause, she repeated, “Asami,” pointing to herself.

 

“Asami. Vano Nuktuk,” the translator replied.

 

“Nuktuk!” The sharp reprimand came from her left.

 

“ **What? She’s going to live with us for a year. She’s going to learn our names eventually**. *Mako*.”

 

A growl from her left made Asami assume this revelation wasn’t entirely welcome, but the woman behind her seemed to agree with Nuktuk. There was a long string of words spoken too quickly for her to follow (“ **He’s right. We should take off the hood. We’re far enough from ~Outsider’s Beach~ that she won’t be able to lead the invaders here”)** , and suddenly her vision flashed bright white as her hood was removed. Using her hands as a shield for her eyes, she slowly blinked until she could see. She saw the translator sitting in front of her, smiling. _Nuktuk, he had said._ The other man, sitting to her left seemed to be pouting. _Probably upset that he was overruled. This woman definitely appears to be in charge of the trio. I wonder if they are matriarchal. Maybe her dark furs indicate rank or status._

 

She turned to face the woman and saw her holding the hood with what could only be described as a smirk. “Molda,” Asami said.

 

The woman pointed at Asami. “Ah-sah-mi?”

 

“Asami,” she said, nodding.

 

“Korra,” the other woman replied, pointing at herself. Then she pointed at the pouting man and said, “Mako.”

 

“Korra. Mako. Nuktuk.”

 

Korra’s smirk spread across her face mischievously. She pointed ahead and said, “Naga.”

 

Asami turned to face forward and finally saw what had been making the rhythmic thumping sound, and presumably the howl from earlier. It was a massive polar bear dog, harnessed to the sled, easily pulling it, the four people aboard, and Asami’s trunk full of clothing and books. _She’s so beautiful and powerful. I wonder how these people managed to tame her. Maybe they have whole families of them to use as draft animals!_ Asami spun around, digging in her trunk until she found the book and charcoal she was looking for before trying to maneuver to a corner of the sled where she might get a better view of the furry beast in front of her.

 

Nuktuk’s voice interrupted her frenzied strokes across the page. “Nav ankuilada?”

 

 _Not… afraid? Did they expect me to be?_ _She’s beautiful._ “Korru.” _Beautiful._

The woman behind me made some questioning noise and I realized what I’d said was very close to her name. “Korru? Korro?” she asked Nuktuk. Nuktuk nodded in response.

 

“Korro? That’s ‘beautiful’ in your tongue?” Asami asked, pointing at Korra.

 

Nuktuk laughed when Korra’s eyes widened. _What did I say this—_ Asami suddenly realized all they’d understood was “Beautiful,” followed by Asami pointing at Korra. “Va, va. Naga korru. Nav Korra. Ka Korra korru, but I meant Naga.” Asami’s attempts to explain ran together and started blending Valkakdo and her own native tongue while Nuktuk continued laughing. _Oh good, Asami. Just stick your whole leg in your mouth while your foot’s in there._

 

Asami turned back to her sketch, cheeks burning, and continued putting a fairly lifelike representation of Naga on paper, followed by the sled. She looked up to see Nuktuk peering over her shoulder, so she lifted the book so he could see better. He tapped the book then pointed at himself. “Nuktuk.”

 

Asami smiled, nodded, and pointed at spot opposite her where she’d be able to see him. “Kokolka.” As he settled into a sitting position, he puffed out his chest and put his gloved fists on his hips. Asami stifled a giggle at his macho posturing and started drawing. When she finished, she turned it around so Nuktuk could see it. His eyes grew wide along with his grin and he cheered so hard, he lost his balance and fell off the sled.

 

Asami sat up on her knees to look for the rambunctious man, but Korra and Mako were too busy laughing to stop and help. Soon, Asami saw Nuktuk gain his feet and start chasing the sled, calling out Korra’s name. Korra stopped laughing just long enough to call something to Naga. The sled slowed, but kept moving forward as Korra shouted what sounded like encouragement at Nuktuk.

 

As Nuktuk caught up and hauled himself back up onto the sled, Asami caught sight of tendrils of smoke rising just over the horizon. She pointed and asked Nuktuk, “Duku?” _Home?_

 

Nuktuk glanced in the direction of the smoke and replied, “Ka.” _Yes._ His smile faded a bit as he glanced at Korra. “ **Your father won’t be happy**.”

 

Korra’s demeanor also shifted towards solemnity. “ **I know**.”

 

Nuktuk pressed whatever issue he’d brought up. “ **He told you not to come**.”

 

Korra practically growled. “ **I *know*, Nuktuk**.”

 

Asami turned to Nuktuk, the question plain on her face. Nuktuk seemed to search his memory for the right word. “Kuklo.” _Father._


	2. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> SPOILERS AHEAD. Ok, not really for this chapter, but kinda still.
> 
> This translation is for chapter 4: http://archiveofourown.org/works/4735304/chapters/10850555
> 
> If you read this, you WILL have some plot points spoiled. The fic is written assuming that the reader only knows as much as Asami, so reading these translations will elevate your knowledge above that point.
> 
> DO NOT READ THIS IF YOU DON'T WANT SPOILERS.

The group fell into an uncomfortable silence after Korra and Nuktuk’s exchange about a father. _Whose father? His? Hers? The tribe’s? If they’re upset about a father, maybe they aren’t matriarchal after all._ Asami readjusted on the sled, putting her back to Naga so she could compare the three warriors.

 

 _What makes her special? Why is she the de facto leader of this group? Is she the oldest?_ She examined each of their features, trying to see through the makeup to find markers of age. _Mako’s probably about my age. Amber eyes like the Fire Nation? That’s… unexpected. Nuktuk… he might be younger. That would make sense with how Mako seemed to chastise him. And… green eyes? Maybe the Kikakdo aren’t as insular as people thought. Korra…. is staring right at me._

 

When Asami’s eyes met Korra’s, she felt the urge to look away as if embarrassed to be caught looking, but Korra didn’t waver, so Asami resisted and continued her examination. _Blue eyes, as expected. No wrinkles. There’s almost something more there- a challenge?_ Asami blinked and shook her head, turning her attention to the sled.

 

It suddenly occurred to her that she hadn’t seen any trees since her arrival. _Where did they get the wood to build this?_ The sled was very large- several feet in each direction- and… _is it curved? But not symmetric. The curve is sharper on this side. The crossbeams are at irrational points also. They should be closer to the edges for efficiency. Maybe they haven’t experimented enough to find the most efficient building techniques, but… no, that doesn’t seem right. They haven’t shown any indication of being unintelligent._

 

“ **What is she doing**?” Korra’s voice pulled Asami from her thoughts.

 

“ **I don’t know** ,” Nuktuk replied, puzzled. They were both looking at her.

 

Asami realized she was sitting in an odd position, her upper body almost lying across the sled so she could better see the curvature, and sat up immediately. She couldn’t think of the Valkakdo words to explain, so she tried gestures, pointing at the sled and then holding her hands in a curved, almost bowl-like fashion. “Your sled is curved. Poldhe?” _Why?_

 

Nuktuk shook his head, though Asami didn’t know if that meant he didn’t understand or didn’t know the answer. He turned to Korra and said, “ **I think she wants to know why the sled is curved**.”

 

Asami watched Korra’s eyes widen just enough to be noticeable, but she kept quiet. Nuktuk must have noticed too, so he continued, “Korra? **What’s wrong? Do you know why**?”

 

Korra’s eyes flickered from Nuktuk to Asami and back. Her voice became measured and monotoned, as if she was being careful not to reveal too much. “ **Yes, but we shouldn’t tell her. Not yet**.”

 

Nuktuk’s brow furrowed, but he turned back to Asami. “Nav kukolo.” _Not know. Well that clearly isn’t true. At least Korra has an idea. Why would she hide that?_

 

Before she could get any deeper into the possible reasons for Korra’s apparent deception, Asami felt a nudge at her shoulder. Mako was pointing ahead to the village, now visible and rapidly approaching. Asami quickly moved to a different spot on the sled to get a better view.

 

Smoke wound lazily from the tops of a few small buildings, all of which were arranged in a roughly circular shape within a small snow wall. As Naga pulled the sled into the center, open area, Asami saw that some of the buildings looked as though they were made of snow and others of animal hides. It seemed as though the entire village was coming out to stare at the newcomers. Children were running alongside Naga, laughing. Adults stood warily by the entrances of what was probably their homes, others were walking towards the largest building, just on the other side of the open area, looking on with curiosity.

 

Naga pulled the sled around so that it was even with the largest building, and there, standing with his arms crossed and a glare that could melt the ice he was standing on, was the largest man Asami had ever seen.

 

Thankfully, his ire wasn’t directed at Asami, but at the rear of the sled. Asami glanced back and saw that the once confident and almost brash Korra was avoiding the glare and looking rather sheepish. Asami got to her feet, following Mako and Nuktuk’s lead. Nuktuk softly said, “Kuklo. Klana.” _Father. First. Well, “first” was what the Valkakdo call their chiefs, so this must be the chief. He’s huge._

 

“Korra, **I will see you for dinner**.” The man’s voice rumbled like distant thunder, but it didn’t seem to be hostile. _His expression says enough, I suppose._

 

Korra nodded and headed into the building behind the chief. Asami watched as she walked, but she couldn’t quite place her movements. _It’s like she’s putting on a show. Saving face, maybe? Did she do something wrong? Is she in trouble for taking my hood off?_

 

She felt a slight bump as Mako nudged Asami towards the mountain of a man before her. His gaze had shifted from Korra to the researcher, but what was hostility was now curiosity. Asami cleared her throat and put her hand on her chest. “Asami Sato.”

 

Nuktuk stepped forward as well. “ **She knows about as much Valkakdo as I do, as far as I know. Asami is her name**.” The chief nodded and turned back to Asami.

 

“Asami. Tonraq.” He put his own hand to his chest, repeating the gesture she had used. He then turned back to Nuktuk. “ **If you could show her to her room, inside, and tell her that dinner will be served in an hour** , Nuktuk.”

 

Nuktuk nodded and gestured to Asami’s trunk. “Aa kaldulo. Ti vaova.” _I carry. You come._ Asami nodded and, once he had picked up her trunk and started towards the large building, she followed. The entrance was covered by animal skins, but once pushed aside, they entered a large, open area with a squat, stone table surrounded by small piles of furs on one side. A small fire burned on the other. The interior was made of what looked like whale bone and rough stone. _So wood *isn’t* common here. What do they burn? Whatever it is, it’s very warm in here._

 

Nuktuk led her to an archway to the side, which led to a few additional entryways. He pushed through one with the trunk, and when she followed him, she saw that it was a small room with a domed roof. A slight flickering drew her attention to a small candle positioned near a pile of furs. Nuktuk set the trunk down near the end of the furs. “Lodda. Daka klokda. Nuktuk addovolo Asami.” _Bed. Food soon. Nuktuk get Asami._ _I suppose that means this is my room and he’ll come tell me when it is time to eat._

 

The thought of food caused Asami’s stomach to rumble and Nuktuk laughed. “Klokda.” _Soon._

Asami nodded. “Molda.”

 

Nuktuk smiled again and left her alone. Asami took a deep breath and let it out slowly. _So far, so good. I have a place to sleep and apparently food is coming. They don’t look to be hostile to me. I wonder why the chief- Tonraq- was so upset with Korra._

 

As she considered what happened earlier, she heard the faint evidence of an argument from nearby. Asami guessed it was probably Korra and Tonraq. She rummaged through her trunk in search of her journal and her pen and started writing furiously, trying to capture every detail that she’d observed since she made landfall. She took very thorough notes and marked questions she had. Halfway through reconstructing what she could of the Kikakdo phonetic language, she heard a noise outside of her room.

 

“Nuktuk?” she asked.

 

The hides were pushed aside, but rather than the bulky translator, there stood… _is that Korra?_

 

 


	3. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> SPOILERS AHEAD.
> 
> Chapter 5 here: http://archiveofourown.org/works/4735304/chapters/10871249
> 
> If you read this, you WILL have some plot points spoiled. The fic is written assuming that the reader only knows as much as Asami, so reading these translations will elevate your knowledge above that point.
> 
> DO NOT READ THIS IF YOU DON'T WANT SPOILERS.

Asami looked at the woman standing in front of her. She was about the same age as herself, with the brown skin expected from the Kikakdo and piercing blue eyes. Her dark hair was arranged in three ponytails, one high in the back and the other two framing her face. “Korra?”

 

Korra smiled and nodded. Her heavy coat was gone and she was now dressed in a more fitted fur outfit. The greyish-white tunic was decorated with carved beads and fur tassels. She glanced out of the room for a moment before ducking inside with Asami. She pointed at Asami’s journal with a question plain on her face.

 

Asami held it out to her, unsure how to communicate without Nuktuk’s minimal vocabulary. Korra took it gently and started turning the pages. “ **It’s so fragile**.” Her words were soft, almost to herself.

 

Asami suddenly had an idea and held her hand out for the book. Korra gave it back to her reluctantly, but watched carefully as Asami opened it to the page she’d been writing her phonetic charts. _If I can get her to say a few words, I can make sure I’ve got this right._ She pointed at the flame of the candle. “Fire?”

 

Korra’s eyes lit up. “Doi.”

 

Asami marked each sound down in the appropriate places. Korra moved closer, trying to look over Asami’s shoulder at her book. As soon as Asami’s pen had lifted from the paper, Korra’s hand was there, pulling the pen from her grip. She looked at it curiously.

 

“Pen,” Asami offered.

 

“Pen.” Korra held her hand out for the book, which Asami handed to her. Korra knelt down, using her knee to stabilize the book, and drew the pen across the page, watching as the ink flowed from the nib. She then made some careful marks and stood, handing the book back to Asami. She pointed at the marks and said, “Korra.”

 

“That’s how you write your name? So you have a written-” Asami’s excitement was cut off suddenly as Nuktuk pushed the door hides aside. When he saw the two girls, his eyes widened.

 

He looked back outside and spoke in a hurried whisper. **“Korra, you know you’re not supposed to be in here! Go, before someone sees you. Go!”**

 

Korra glanced back at Asami, a sad look in her eyes, before she pushed the pen into Asami’s hand and fled the room. Asami watched in confusion and turned her gaze to Nuktuk. He smiled and cheerfully said, “Daka?”

 

_Food. He’s not going to explain what that was about. Why are they hiding things? They know I’m here to learn about them, right? If they’re just putting on a show, my research will be pointless. What could they be hiding? They didn’t answer about the sled. Now Korra ran away after—_

Nuktuk tapped her on the shoulder. “Daka? Vaova.” _Food. Come._ Her stomach took this opportunity to remind her that she hadn’t eaten all day.

 

“Ka. Daka.” _Yes. Food. Maybe I’ll figure something out at dinner._

 

“Ee… Asami dlokka?” _Cold?_ Asami was confused for a moment before she realized that Nuktuk had changed into lighter furs as Korra had. He had washed off the makeup from before, revealing a paler complexion that only raised more questions in Asami’s mind. She also realized she hadn’t taken off her heavy traveling coat because she was so excited to start writing her notes. Her gloves had come off in a moment of frustration as the pen slipped from her fingers, but the coat had stayed.

 

“Oh, no. Va.” Asami unbuttoned her coat and shrugged it off, laying it over her trunk. She wore several layers of shirt and sweater underneath, but kept those on. Once she had removed the bulky clothing, Nuktuk pushed the hides aside with a smile and gestured for her to proceed.

 

Asami stepped through the opening and followed Nuktuk’s gesture to the large open room from before. The rounded, squat table was surrounded by people in furs. Nuktuk led Asami to a spot opposite the door where she saw Tonraq waiting for her. She smiled at him and took the space to his right and Nuktuk stationed himself at her right. _Good. At least I’ll be able to understand a little bit._

She looked around the table, seeing a few still empty spaces, and wondered what the protocol was. Everyone was standing and seemed to be waiting for something, or someone. Most of the people around the table were older, though she did recognize Mako. She didn’t see Korra. Tonraq huffed impatiently. “Mako?”

 

Mako nodded and left the table, walking into the area of the rooms. Moments later he returned and took his place again. Several moments later, Korra emerged from the rooms and took a place opposite that of the chief. Asami studied her, trying to figure out why she had left so suddenly, why she seemed to be late, and why that was her position at the table, but Korra was avoiding looking back.

 

Tonraq spoke to the table and everyone took a seat on the piles of furs. Two women started bringing in whale-bone bowls full of chunks of meat in liquid. Once everyone was served, the two women took their seats, one on the other side of Tonraq, the other next to Mako.

 

As soon as everyone was seated, everyone around the table started using their whale-bone chopsticks to pluck or spear the meat. Asami followed suit, eager to avoid offending anyone. The meat was fatty and delicious. Once the first few bites had been taken, quiet conversation started between neighbors at the table.

 

Nuktuk leaned over. “Daka kiava?” _Food good?_

 

Asami nodded as she chewed. Nuktuk smiled and continued shoveling the meat into his own mouth. Asami let her eyes wander as she ate, taking in the people before her. It seemed that everyone at the table except Mako and Nuktuk had dark skin like Tonraq and Korra. As far as she could tell, they all had blue eyes as well. As she continued mentally cataloguing the people sitting around the table, she came to the other end where Korra was sitting.

 

Everyone else around the table had moved from quiet to lively conversation with anyone near them, but Korra was resting her head on her hand, sullenly staring into her bowl. Her other hand was swirling the meat around with her chopsticks. Her eyes flickered up, towards Asami, but she immediately looked away.

 

_I need to learn the language immediately. I won’t get answers to any of my questions with a simple hundred word vocabulary._

Asami finished her meat and noticed the others were lifting their bowls to drink the broth, so she finished hers off as well. Tonraq stood and addressed the table.

 

 **“Friends, today is a good day. Asami has joined us to learn about us. Remember what we decided, but be friendly. She is under my protection, and should anyone be hostile towards her, their punishment will be swift. She knows only a little Valkakdo, so between her and Nuktuk, translation will be difficult. Please remember to keep your statements simple. For now, I’d like each person to just state their names.”** His voice seemed to carry with it a warning, though for what purpose, Asami was unsure.

 

He gestured to the woman to his left. She started, “ **My name is** Senna.”

 

Nuktuk repeated to Asami, “Vano Senna.” He paused as if thinking and pointed between Tonraq and Senna before interlocking his fingers. _Tonraq’s wife maybe?_

 

Asami smiled and repeated, “Senna.” The woman smiled back and Tonraq moved on to the next person. Each person at the table told their names, some happily, others more cautiously. “ **My name is** Kato." **“My name is** Nani." “ **My name is** Kya." “ **My name is** Mako." “ **My name is** Korra." “ **My name is** Nitok." “ **My name is** Haku." “ **My name is** Katara.”

As the tribe members finished, Asami added, “ **My name is** Asami.” The response was similar to earlier. Most of the people looked at her, something akin to fear in their eyes. Mako and Nuktuk were unsurprised and Korra- Korra was smirking again. “Pulkav?” _Sorry? Should I not be speaking their language?_

Nuktuk seemed to explain something to the others, saying, “ **Oh, and she’s already learned some words, so be careful.”**

 

While the levity didn’t return, it seemed to diminish the tension of the room. Tonraq nodded to Nuktuk who stood and said to Asami, “Vaova.” _Come._

Asami stood and, unsure of whether it would be met with gratitude, said, “Molda,” to Tonraq. She then followed Nuktuk as he led her back to her room.

 

He pushed the hides aside for her, but once she was inside, he said, “Ullaxokolda,” and left her there alone. _Goodbye? Is that it then? I suppose it means I’m here until morning._

As Asami settled down on her bed of furs with her journal and pen, she could hear the faint sounds of argument coming from the main room. _Seems the decision to let me come was not unanimous. This could be very tricky._

 

Asami started writing down all the details from dinner, and as she listed the names of the attendees, she noticed the hides on her doorway starting to shift.

 

 

 


	4. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> SPOILERS AHEAD! (Definitely for real this time, though you may not recognize them still)  
> Chapter 7 is here: http://archiveofourown.org/works/4735304/chapters/11405971
> 
> If you read this, you WILL have some plot points spoiled. The fic is written assuming that the reader only knows as much as Asami, so reading these translations will elevate your knowledge above that point.
> 
> DO NOT READ THIS IF YOU DON'T WANT SPOILERS.

Note: Now that Asami knows some of the Kikuk language, we’re going to shift to a new presentation of the languages. *PLEASE* tell me if it is too hard to follow. There is still supposed to be a layer of the unknown, but I want that to come from the words you/Asami still don’t know, not from the way I’m presenting it. So… with that in mind, italics will still be Asami’s thoughts, but I’ll be bolding words that Asami’s translating herself. They’re spoken in Kikuk, but translated to English to show that Asami knows those words (and thus you do too).

 

Also, I did change Bolin’s name to Nuktuk throughout the entire story. It makes more sense within the story and I had only kept it “Bolin” because I wanted him to be recognizable to readers…. But I think “Nuktuk” does the same thing, so change approved!

 

Asami finished writing the last Kikuk word next to the Valkakdo in her journal and closed the book, smiling. “ **Thank you** , Nuktuk.”

 

Nuktuk smiled back and nodded. “ **Food**?”

 

“ **Yes. Please.** ” When he turned and offered, Asami climbed onto Nuktuk’s back and he took her back to the village. Instead of going to the chief’s hut, however, Nuktuk took her to a building slightly smaller than the chief’s, also made of whale bone, stone, and hides. He set her on her feet, but offered his arm for her to hold onto so she wouldn’t fall.

 

Once inside, he shed his heavy coat, so she followed his lead.  “Mako?” Nuktuk called.

 

Mako stepped out of the side passage, but stopped short when he saw Asami. “ **Are you sure it’s a good idea to bring her here**?”

 

“ **Why not**?” Nuktuk replied. His response was casual, not what Asami was expecting from the little she heard. It was more like Nuktuk really didn’t understand rather than was challenging Mako.

 

“ **She’s smart. What if she figures it out**?” Mako’s voice dropped to a level that was hard for Asami to hear, and his quick glances at her made it obvious he was nervous about her hearing whatever he was saying.

 

Nuktuk seemed to explain something to Mako. “ **You know she’s not supposed to talk to Korra. I can’t take her back to the chief’s and she’s hungry. Oh, and I might have taught her more of our words…. So be careful**?” By the end, he was blushing and Mako looked upset.

 

“Kuako. **Tonraq will be mad. Why would you do that? Didn't you see how people reacted last night?  Nitok already hates her. Haku is afraid. If people know she can understand them....** ” Mako seemed to pause his lecture to ask a question as he looked at Asami, some mixture of fear and anger in his eyes. “ **Can she understand me right now**?”

 

“ **I don’t think so. It was only a few words, the ones I knew in Valkakdo. All it means is that she’ll be able to talk to anyone the way she’s been talking to me**.” Nuktuk’s tone was placating as he explained further.

 

Mako mumbled, “ **Maybe she shouldn’t**.”

 

“ **What**?”

 

“ **Maybe she shouldn’t talk. At least not yet**.” Mako glanced at Asami once more.

 

Nuktuk sighed. “ **Fine. I will tell her. Is there any food**?”

 

“ **Yes. Mother** **made** nolklivo **stew**.” Nuktuk’s face lit up and he motioned for Asami to follow him. He retrieved two bowls and scooped some sort of stew out of the large metallic pot simmering near the center of the room.

 

Asami looked at the pot curiously. _I don’t think I’ve seen anything metallic in the village yet. And no wood except for the sled._ Nuktuk brought her out of her thoughts by pushing the clay bowl and bone chopsticks into her hands. He motioned toward the small table to the side and sat down.

 

He smiled and lifted his bowl as she sat. “Nolklivo **stew**.”

 

She attempted to repeat his words and he pulled an odd, shriveled bit of something out of the stew with his chopsticks. “Nolklivo.”

 

“Nolklivo. Nolklivo **stew**.” _So this thing… is it a vegetable? Is called ‘nolklivo’, and I suppose the ‘lukaud’ refers to the whole dish, or maybe the method of preparation. Stew, maybe._

 

She reached in and pulled one out herself, placing it in her mouth as Nuktuk demonstrated. She forced herself not to gag at the salty taste and squishy texture. She forced a squeamish smile when she saw Nuktuk watching her. He smiled and started eating quickly. Not wanting to offend or starve, Asami forced the rest of the meal down, drinking the liquid from the bowl.

 

“Asami….” Nuktuk looked down as though trying to find the right words. “ **You no talk Kikuk.** ”

 

His eyes looked so sad that Asami might have agreed to anything to cheer him up, but she resisted. “ **Why?”**

 

“ **Kikuk afraid. Angry.** ”

 

Asami frowned. She had so many questions and none could be answered without a better grasp of the language. “ **Why?** ”

 

Nuktuk made a face that Asami recognized as his “thinking face.” Clearly he was considering his answer, though whether he was simply trying to translate it to words she could understand or was trying to decipher the feelings of his tribesmen, she wasn’t sure. Finally he sighed and said, “ **Not know.** ”

 

 _I can’t just give up on this. If I don’t learn the language, I won’t learn *anything*._ “ **You me talk?** **Please?** ”

 

Nuktuk smiled softly at her. “ **Yes. In secret** ,” he said, nearly whispering. _I suppose that means we have to be quiet about it, but it’s better than nothing. At the very least he can try to explain some of the things I see._

 

He then straightened, grinned, and clapped his hands together. “ **Now, we need to go make you better boots**.” When Asami returned a questioning look, Nuktuk pulled his foot up, pointed at his boot and said “ **Boot**.” He then pointed at Asami.

 

_Kaddok must be boot. Are we going to make my boots more slip-resistant?_

 

“ **Come.** ” The two bundled back up and were soon headed back out the door. Nuktuk held onto Asami’s arm, firmly enough to catch her if she started to slip, and led her the short distance to another building. He stepped inside, calling out, “Nitok!”

 

A man looked up from his piles of fur just as Asami stepped through the doorway. “ **No**! **I do not** **want her here. Get out**!” His immediate, angry reaction had Asami instinctively backtracking toward the door and behind Nuktuk who had immediately put his hands up defensively.

 

“ **Nitok, calm down. She needs boots. She’s not going to hurt you. She’s harmless. You’re scaring her**.”

 

“ **Get out, Nuktuk, and take her with you. I don’t care what Korra says. Bringing her here was stupid. Korra’s going to get us all killed**.”

 

Asami barely noticed the shift in Nuktuk’s demeanor before he lunged forward, cracking his fist across Nitok’s face. Nuktuk took him by the front of his parka and held him up, glaring at him. “ **Don’t you say things like that about Korra. It’s not your place to question her. Your place is making clothes and *Korra’s guest* needs new boots. Or should I go tell Tonraq that you’re refusing**?”

 

Nitok’s tongue swept across his bleeding lip and he lowered his eyes. “ **No. I will make the boots. Let go of me**.” 

 

Nuktuk released Nitok, who stumbled back into his pile of furs. He sat with a huff, sneaking venomous looks at Asami, still hovering near the doorway.

 

Nuktuk turned to Asami with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “ **Need** **foot**.” He pointed at her boots. When she didn’t immediately move, he took her gently by the hand and had her sit on a smallish stone near the pile of furs where Nitok was waiting with a strip of leather and some sort of marking instrument.

 

“ **Boot off,** ” Nuktuk explained. Asami nodded and started unbuckling her boots. Once she was down to her socks, Nitok placed her foot on the leather and made a rough outline.

 

“ **Two days** ,” Nitok muttered.

 

“ **It doesn’t take you two days to make a pair of boots, Nitok**.”

 

“ **I have other things I am working on. I don’t get to just drop all my responsibilities to follow some** _kaukro-kruvd_ **around all day. Two days**.”

 

“ **One.** ” Nuktuk turned back to Asami. “ **Come.** ”

 

Asami put her boots back on hurriedly and followed, glancing back at Nitok who was pressing his fingers to his now swollen lip and glaring angrily at Nuktuk.

 

She followed him out into the village where he was already stalking away from the hut. As she started to follow, her toes caught a piece of ice again, and she slipped. Nuktuk must have heard her hit the ground, because he was quickly by her side, pulling her back to her feet. “ **One day**.”

 

Asami nodded, looked around to see if they were near any other Kikuk, and whispered, “ **Talk**?”

 

 


	5. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> SPOILERS AHEAD  
> Chapter 8 is here: http://archiveofourown.org/works/4735304/chapters/11411695
> 
> If you read this, you WILL have some plot points spoiled. The fic is written assuming that the reader only knows as much as Asami, so reading these translations will elevate your knowledge above that point.
> 
> DO NOT READ THIS IF YOU DON'T WANT SPOILERS.

Nuktuk glanced around to see if anyone heard Asami’s request, and once he saw it was clear, he nodded. “ **Come.** ” He turned and squatted in front of her so she could climb onto his back again.

 

Once she was situated and they started to move, Asami found some time to compose her thoughts. _Nuktuk certainly made some show of aggression and dominance in there. I wonder what Korra had to do with it though. Her name was mentioned at least a few times. What would that have to do with Nuktuk wanting me to have boots? Nitok, I think that was his name, seemed angry when I walked in. Why?_

_Let’s see…. We walked in. Nitok was hostile immediately, so it must have been me or something that happened since dinner. I remember he was there last night. Nuktuk said the Kikuk were angry and afraid, and that’s why I shouldn’t speak their language. Is this just that? Should I expect this sort of reaction? If Nuktuk wasn’t with me, would Nitok have attacked me?_

_Wait, I’m getting ahead of myself. What else happened? Nuktuk tried to calm him down, I think. That’s when Nitok mentioned Korra. Why? And…. He said something that sounded a lot like “dead” close to Korra’s name. Something about the way the word was formed seems like it meant “make dead” or maybe “killed”. Was he threatening Korra? Or saying Korra will kill me? That wouldn’t make sense. If she wanted to, she could have easily done so before now. But Nitok threatening Korra… if Korra and Nuktuk are friends, or more, then I can understand his jump to violence. In fact, it was immediately after those words that Nuktuk attacked._

_A single blow to the face. Aggressive posturing. He mentioned Tonraq at the end as well, perhaps his trump card. Maybe threatening Nitok with telling Tonraq what he said. I’m sure Tonraq wouldn’t appreciate anyone threatening his daughter. Clearly Nuktuk thought he was in the right in this situation. Nitok showed clear signs of submission before Nuktuk released him. Whatever he said, it worked. And he measured my feet for boots._

_Wait- HE MEASURED MY FEET FOR BOOTS! Nuktuk didn’t offer to make them himself. That means they have specialized labor! They must have some form of bartering or money if they’re specialized. I wonder what other jobs they have. What is Nuktuk’s job? I’m sure he’s not usually chauffeur to visitors. Specialized labor and a written language, if Korra’s writing her name is anything to go by. They’re more advanced than I had assumed._

Asami felt the pressure under her legs lessen as Nuktuk came to a stop and started easing her from his back. Looking around, she saw that they were once more outside of the village, this time near the base of one of the glacial cliffs. There appeared to be a sort of indentation along the ridge, and once they stepped inside, they were shielded from the winds of the outside. There were signs of habitation- some bones, scraps of fabric, old food?- that indicated this was somewhere Nuktuk probably used as a camp or, because of its proximity to the village, a place to relax. There were a handful of sitting stones placed in a rough circle. _Maybe this is where he and his friends like to come._

 

“ **Talk**?” Nuktuk asked as he took a seat, gesturing towards another of the stones.

 

Asami nodded and sat down after pulling her notebook and pen from her pocket. She opened her mouth to ask a question and immediately realized she didn’t know enough words to ask any of the questions in her mind. Instead, she turned to gesture. “ **You** ,” she paused and punched her other hand, “Nitok.”

 

Nuktuk nodded. “ **I** **punched him**.”

 

“ **You punched him** Nitok?” she repeated, hoping to start narrowing down the grammar system.

 

He shook his head. “ **I punched** Nitok.” _So dlukkel means hit, but dlukke is a conjugated version. R’ua might mean “him” then._

 

She scribbled down these potential word meanings in her notebook. “ **Why**? Korra?”

 

Nuktuk’s eyes narrowed with a flash of anger. Before he could answer, though, a different voice replied, “ **What**?”

 

Nuktuk and Asami both turned to see Korra stepping into the little alcove. Nuktuk stood and picked her up in a hug. “ **Korra? What are you doing here**?”

 

She laughed as she returned the hug, and once back on her feet, she replied, “ **I saw you headed this way**.”

 

“ **She wanted to talk. Mako thinks we shouldn’t let the others hear her using our language**.” Nuktuk paused then, in near panic, continued, “ **Wait, Korra, you shouldn’t be here. Not with her**.”

 

Korra sighed. “ **Calm down, Nuktuk. Nobody’s going to know**.” _She sounds… annoyed? Tired? Almost… exasperated. Why?_ She started trying to write down as much of the sound combinations as she could catch, but the two were talking so fast, she worried she wouldn’t even catch the words she *did* understand.

 

“ **But… what if** ….”

 

“ **Just drop it, yes? Nothing bad is going to happen. Why did I hear my name**?”

 

Nuktuk looked away, his cheeks turning pink. “ **Oh… she was asking why I punched Nitok**.”

 

“ **You punched Nitok? Why?** ” Asami’s eyes lit up when she realized she’d understood an entire sentence.

 

“ **He started bad-mouthing you. Said you were going to get us all killed inviting her here**.”

 

“ **So you punched him?** ” Asami frowned. That didn’t quite make sense. Maybe “ka” meant something else in addition to “yes”.

 

“ **He was scaring her. And she needed new boots**.”

 

“ **Did you stop to think that punching him might have scared her**?”

 

Asami glanced up from her book to see that Nuktuk was looking rather sheepish, lowering his head as if in shame, or maybe submission to Korra. _Well, it has sounded a bit like a lecture from what I can tell._ _I think there is definitely something to my theory about her having some sort of status though. In a patriarchal society, it’s not common to see men bowing to women unless they have some sort of power over them._

 

Korra glanced over and saw Asami looking at them. She walked over and took a seat, holding a hand up to silence Nuktuk when he started protesting. _Definitely something. But why is he protesting? They are clearly close, whether friends or something else, so why wouldn’t he want her to be here?_

 

“ **I’ve taught her the Valkakdo words I know in Kikuk, so you can talk to her as well as I can now** ,” he said, sitting on another stone, seemingly resigned to her presence.

 

Korra nodded and seemed to consider her words before smiling and saying, “ **Hello**.”

 

“ **Hello** ,” Asami repeated, smiling as well.

 

“ **You… good?** ” Korra tilted her head a bit. Asami watched her eyes drop, scanning over her as if looking for anything that might be amiss. They stopped on her notebook and Asami swore she could see Korra become more excited. She pulled her eyes back up to look at Asami’s.

 

“ **Yes. Good.** ”

 

Korra nodded, but she seemed almost distracted. She looked at Nuktuk. “ **We’re going to meet here when I can. I need to talk to her.”**

“ **But Korra** ….”

 

“ **No, Nuktuk. I *need* to talk to her. That’s the whole reason she’s here. I know Dad doesn’t want me talking to her, but I have to**.”

 

Asami cut in, speaking in extremely fragmented Kikuk. “ **You father- Chief, yes? Chief no…. you I talk**?”

 

Korra raised an eyebrow and glanced at Nuktuk. He smiled and said, “ **She is smart**.”

 

“ **Obviously** ,” she said, almost to herself. She turned back to Asami. “ **Yes. Father is Chief. Yes** , **he is the one stopping me from talking to you.**.” _So… Tonraq is the Chief and her father, and I was right about them not wanting her to talk to me. So why does she want to talk to me so bad? Simple teenage rebellion? I’d think she might be too old for that._ _“Okd” must be “is”. I bet I can figure out more words this way, rather than through Nuktuk’s broken speech, trying to simplify it for me. “Orro” seems to be said a lot._

“ **What is** orro?”

 

Korra opened her mouth to explain, but must have realized that the concept was harder to explain than she anticipated. Her brow furrowed in thought, then she pointed at Nuktuk. “*Ar* **is Nuktuk. Not** *orro* **is Nuktuk**.”

 

Nuktuk smiled excitedly and pointed back at Korra. “*Orro* **is Korra, not** *ar* **is Korra**.”

 

_Oh! So “ar” and “orro” are masculine and feminine pronouns! The others have said “she” quite a lot then. I bet a lot of it has been talking about me… right in front of me, assuming I can’t understand._

 

Korra leveled her eyes at Asami. “ **You are learning… know Kikuk. I want to learn… know you language**.”

 

_Ukklovklo? Maybe that’s learn? I’m learning Kikuk, so I can know it. So she…. what… wants to learn my…. language? How can I test that? Maybe by saying the same thing in all three languages to show the translation?_

“ **Talk** ,” she started in Kikuk, then repeated the word in Valkakdo, looking at Nuktuk, then shifted to Canila, the common language spoken throughout Republic City and most academic and business centers across the world, “talk?”

 

Korra smiled. “Tok. **Yes.** ”

 

 


	6. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> SPOILERS AHEAD REAL LIVE SPOILERS  
> Chapter 9 is here: http://archiveofourown.org/works/4735304/chapters/11511085
> 
> If you read this, you WILL have some plot points spoiled. The fic is written assuming that the reader only knows as much as Asami, so reading these translations will elevate your knowledge above that point.
> 
> DO NOT READ THIS IF YOU DON'T WANT SPOILERS.

_She wants to learn my language. I wonder why. Well, if it means learning more about their language and them, then I don’t see why not._ Asami nodded. “ **You, I…. learn?** ” she tested, using the last word Korra had mentioned.

 

Korra grinned. “ **Yes.** ” Korra moved to the seat next to Asami and pointed at her book. “ **This**?”

 

“Book,” Asami offered.

 

“Pook.”

 

“No, no. B- b- book.”

 

“Pook.”

 

Asami frowned. _I don’t think I ever put the voiced bilabial in their phonetic chart. Maybe they don’t have that sound. It would explain why she doesn’t seem to hear the difference. I’m not sure I can explain it in the words I have. Maybe I’ll just come back to it later._

 

“Kikuk book?” Asami asked, looking for the translation.

 

Korra shook her head. “ **No** pook.”

 

“ **No**?” She opened the book to the page where Korra had written her name and pointed to the marks she’d left.

 

Korra grinned. “Korra.”

 

Asami held her pen out to Korra. “ **Boot**?”

 

Korra shrugged. Asami frowned. _Maybe they don’t have a written language and it’s only names. Ownership markers, maybe?_

 

“Nuktuk?” Nuktuk perked up, but sat back down across from the two girls when he realized what was being asked.

 

“ **No**.”

 

Asami looked at Korra, questioning his answer.

 

“ **No** Nuktuk,” she replied, shrugging again. _Why would Korra have a written name, but not Nuktuk? Maybe it’s a status marker? Only the elite get markers?_

 

“Tonraq?” Asami tried. Korra shook her head again, this time noticeably slower. Her eyes darted over to where Nuktuk was sitting, but he didn’t seem to share her concern.

 

“Nuktuk! **Are you hungry? Time for dinner, yes? Take her back to the hut and meet us here tomorrow. See if she has more of these "pook" to bring**.” Nuktuk frowned slightly, but nodded. She turned back to Asami. “ **I will see you at dinner**. **You me no talk, yes**?”

 

Before Asami could even begin to figure out what Korra was trying to say, she was gone. She turned to Nuktuk, but he looked just as confused as she was. He stood after a moment and asked, “ **Food**?”

 

Asami nodded, but her mind was elsewhere. _Why does she keep doing that? In my room was one thing, now that I know she’s not supposed to talk to me. Her father could have easily found out. Here, though? And why isn’t she supposed to talk to me? Nuktuk doesn’t have a problem with it. She doesn’t. Mako, Nitok, and Tonraq apparently do._

“Asami?” Nuktuk asked, placing a hand on her shoulder. “ **Come.** ” He allowed Asami to climb onto his back again and set out across the snow.

 

“Nuktuk, **name**?” she asked, pointing back at the little hideaway where they had been.

 

“Kaldkrudo,” he replied. He continued pointing out natural features and naming them for her over the period of time it took to return to the village.

 

Nuktuk let Asami slide down to her own feet as they reached the Chief’s hut once again. When they stepped inside, Senna greeted them with a warm smile.

 

“ **Did you have fun with Korra**?”

 

Nuktuk’s eyes went wide, his cheeks flushed, and he looked so uncomfortable that Asami wondered what she could possibly have asked him. “ **What? We haven’t seen Korra**.” Asami didn’t even need to know the language to understand that he was lying, whatever his actual words.

 

“ **Oh? I’m sure the fact that she came in only a few minutes ago, looking distracted, and much happier than she has since Asami’s arrival, is just a coincidence**?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

 

“ **Yes**?” Nuktuk croaked. _Nuktuk seems like a terrible liar. I’d be willing to bet that Senna knows Korra and I were talking. I’m not sure what else there’d be to lie about._

 

Senna’s tone turned flat. “ **Nuktuk, I know everything that happens in Kavkaiav. Especially when it involves my own daughter. Don’t worry. Tonraq doesn’t need to know yet. That is Korra’s problem. You have been teaching her Kikuk**?”

 

Nuktuk dropped his head. “ **Yes.** ”

 

She stepped forward, putting a hand on his shoulder and dipped forward to try to meet his lowered eyes. “ **I trust my daughter, Nuktuk. If this is what she thinks is best, then it is. Everyone else will just have to deal with it**.” She dropped her hand, straightened, and smiled. “ **Now… are you staying for dinner**?”

 

Nuktuk’s mood instantly lifted. “ **Please**?”

 

Senna nodded and gestured towards Asami. “ **Of course. After all, our guest needs her translator**.” She smiled at Asami before turning and walking back to the large pot over the fire.

 

“ **Senna know you talk Kikuk. No Tonraq know. You speak Valkakdo**.” Asami nodded in understanding and followed Nuktuk’s lead in removing her coat. He then led her to her room. “ **I talk Korra. I get Asami** kail **food**.”

 

“ **Thank you** ,” Asami smiled, laying her heavy coat across her bed. When he left, Asami sat down in her nest of furs and coat, and started writing.

 

_I’ve only been here with the Kikuk for a little less than 24 hours, and I’ve already learned so much. Obviously I’m only scratching the surface, but they are incredibly complex. Far more than I had been told to expect. In fact much of what I’ve seen seems to contradict common assumptions about them, or at least make me question them._

_The Kikakdo that people imagine are angry, volatile, vicious cannibals who are very insular._

_The only violence I’ve witnessed was today when Nuktuk punched Nitok. I’m still not certain what was said that prompted the attack, but it may have been some sort of threat against Korra. Korra and Nuktuk appear to be very close. I’m not sure if it is a familial, platonic, or even romantic bond, but whatever it is, I am certain it is strong. Additionally, Nuktuk has shown no other sense of aggression towards any of the other members of the tribe. I don’t believe it is his natural state, and that instead, Nitok provoked it._

_He’s seemed submissive, shy, sheepish in his other interactions, particularly with Korra and Senna, Korra’s mother, certainly not prone to violence._

_This leads me to another question- social organization. Mako and Nuktuk were both deferent to Korra even though they appear to be of the same age group. Nuktuk was deferent to Senna, though that could also be age-related, or because she is the wife of the chief. Nitok, on the other hand, looks closer to Tonraq and Senna’s age than Nuktuk’s, but he threatened him anyway._

_Tonraq is called chief, which implies patriarchy, but perhaps it is more meritocracy- the best leader, rather than the best man? Tonraq certainly is imposing. If they value strength, I find it hard to believe anyone could truly challenge him._

_Speaking of challenging, Tonraq doesn’t want Korra to talk to me. It was Mako’s idea to not let me speak Kikuk in front of others, but Korra and Nuktuk are teaching me anyway. Korra wants to learn Canila, or at least one of the languages I speak. She seems very curious unlike most of the people here. Senna apparently knows that I am learning Kikuk, and probably that I am speaking to Korra, but we are not to tell Tonraq. Hopefully Tonraq doesn’t ask Nuktuk about it because I’m fairly certain he couldn’t lie about anything._

_He has been lying to me, though. Sometimes he tells me he doesn’t know something even though I know he does. Korra’s been disappearing mid-conversation as well. Today she told me that they have no books, but she showed me last night how to write her name. She couldn’t write the word for boot, so I thought maybe they only had symbol for their names, but Nuktuk doesn’t have a written name either. Neither does Tonraq._

_This leads to one of three possibilities- either Korra just made up a symbol and called it her own (which is testable by asking someone to ‘read’ it or having her repeat the symbol), she’s lying about the existence of other written words, or there’s a reason she has a symbol but seemingly nobody else does. I did only ask men thus far. Perhaps Senna has a name?_

_When I started pushing for other written words, Korra got uncomfortable and left suddenly. They say that when people get uncomfortable it’s because you’re closing in on the truth. But which truth?_

_Back to the Kikakdo comparisons, I haven’t seen evidence of cannibalism either, though it has only been one day, I don’t know what animal the meat we’ve eaten is from, and I only know a bare amount of the language. It could be ceremonial as well._

_One curiosity I’ve noticed that also goes against the common perception is that Mako and Nuktuk do not conform to the local aesthetic. They have far paler skin than the other Kikuk as well as different eye colors. Mako has the fairest complexion, possibly even fairer than mine, and the amber eyes of the Fire Nation. Nuktuk is slightly darker, but nowhere near the other Kikuk, and the green eyes most commonly found in the Earth Kingdom._

_Where did these differences in skin and eye color come from and why have they not been absorbed into the general population yet? It must be fairly recent, within a generation or two at most. I haven’t seen any other people with these differences, such as a mother or father._

_I know how to start answering that question and the one of social organization. I’ll need to start working on kinship charts soon. Korra and Nuktuk should know enough to get me started at least._

 

Asami heard the furs at her doorway shift and looked up, smiling at Nuktuk. “ **Come, Asami. Food** ,” he said in Valkakdo. Asami nodded, acknowledging both the statement and the implied reminder not to speak Kikuk in front of the chief.

 


	7. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD! Don't say I didn't warn you.  
> Chapter 10 here: http://archiveofourown.org/works/4735304/chapters/11619010
> 
> If you read this, you WILL have some plot points spoiled. The fic is written assuming that the reader only knows as much as Asami, so reading these translations will elevate your knowledge above that point.
> 
> DO NOT READ THIS IF YOU DON'T WANT SPOILERS.

Asami followed Nuktuk out to the common room where Tonraq, Senna, and Korra were already seated. She noted that while Tonraq and Senna were in the same seats as last night’s dinner, Korra had moved up to take the seat next to her mother. Two clay bowls sitting to Tonraq’s right indicated where Asami and Nuktuk should sit. Asami followed Nuktuk’s lead and took a seat.

 

Once the guests were seated, everyone started eating. Looking into her bowl, Asami thought she could make out meat, possibly the same kind that they had eaten before, and what looked like some form of seafood. _I should start making a catalog of the types of food they eat for caloric energy and subsistence patterns._

 

“ **Asami**?” Nuktuk asked. She turned to him with her eyebrows raised. “ **Bad food**?” he asked in Valkakdo.

 

She glanced around and saw that everyone else was looking at her curiously. “ **No, no** ,” she replied, taking a bite of the food to show it was fine. She thought for a moment for a way to explain her question. “ **Help know what food**?” _Ugh. How can anyone understand anything with such a limited vocabulary?_

 

The other three looked at Nuktuk as he tried to decipher Asami’s question. “ **I think she wants to know what the food is**.”

 

“ **Why would she want to know that**?” Tonraq asked, his face pulling into a frown.

 

“ **Maybe she just wants to know what she’s eating** ,” Senna offered. She pulled a piece of the meat out and said, “kdoui,” and then the seafood with a “ro dalekavo.”

 

Asami’s eyes flickered toward Tonraq for a moment before settling back on Senna’s. _Should I repeat the words? I don’t know what they actually translate to anyway, but…_

 

Movement to Asami’s right caught her attention and she saw Korra subtly nodding to Asami. Asami cleared her throat and pulled a piece of the meat out. “Kdoui?” She looked over the three Kikuk in front of her. Korra was smirking, Senna smiled, and Tonraq was frowning. She fished a piece of the seafood out and tried, “ro dalekavu?”

 

“Ro dalekavu,” Senna replied, emphasizing the last syllable that Asami had mispronounced.

 

“Ro dalekavu.”

 

Senna smiled. “ **Good**.”

 

Korra glanced at her father and Asami followed her eyes to see Tonraq lost in thought, staring at his meal. “ **You know… if she wants to learn about our food, I could show her the fishing grounds tomorrow** ,” Korra said, her words coming slowly but surely.

 

Tonraq’s head snapped up. “ **Absolutely not. You know you aren’t supposed to talk to her**.”

 

Senna put a hand on his forearm. At first Asami thought it was to calm him, but then she caught the look in Senna’s eye. _It looks more like a warning. Interesting._

“ **Father, this is ridiculous. You cannot honestly expect me to just sit here and not speak to her. She’s living in our home**.”

 

“ **I said no**.”

 

“ **I need to talk to her, Father. I have to know**.” _Is she explaining? Asking?_

 

“ **Then I will talk to her**.”

 

Korra crossed her arms and stared at him in disbelief. “ **You? You are going to talk to her? How are you going to know what questions to ask? How are you going to explain anything when you’re too afraid to even tell her what she’s eating**?”

 

Tonraq practically growled Korra’s name in his own warning.

 

“ **No, Father. I won’t step aside. You know I need to do this. You need to let me**.”

 

“Rukrudiol, **Korra** , **you agreed**!” Tonraq pounded his fist on the table, startling Asami. “ **You said you would stay out of it if I agreed to let them come**.”

 

“ **I only did because you were never going to do it otherwise**!” Korra shouted. “ **If I don’t know what’s out there, I can’t make a decision**.”

 

“ **Korra** …. **Be careful** ,” Senna said quietly, her eyes flickering to Asami who was watching the whole conversation intently. Asami felt her cheeks heat up like she had been caught peeking in on something she wasn’t supposed to see. She looked down at her bowl and ate some of her food, trying to avoid the attention.

 

Korra huffed, but continued in a calmer tone. “ **She’s already here, Father. She’s very smart. She’ll start putting things together and asking questions you can’t answer and can’t avoid, and I need to learn from her too. I can’t do that through you. I have to learn her heart. I have to know what she would do with the knowledge**.”

 

“ **And if she’d use it to hurt us**?” Tonraq asked, gesturing vaguely in Asami’s direction.

 

Korra looked straight at Asami. “ **Then I will kill her**.” Asami’s eyes widened and she felt the blood drain from her face, but she quickly returned to her food, aware that her reaction might tell Tonraq she understood more than he thought.

 

“ **And what of Unalaq? You know he won’t like you spending time with an outsider. Especially this one**.”

 

“ **What can he do? Complain more? Somehow make Desna an even worse husband**?” She waved her mother’s interjection off before Senna had even spoken. “ **I know, Mother. But the imbalance is just another reason I need information so I can make a decision. It does no good to be upset about it if there’s nothing that can be done** ,” she finished, her tone almost sad.

 

Tonraq frowned and sighed heavily. “ **You have to promise me you’ll be careful. You’re not just** …” he paused and gestured vaguely, “ **you. You’re also my daughter and the last daughter of the Kavkaiav. Nanuq and Annak… if Katara is right, they're both having boys. You could be the last chance for this tribe. I just want to protect you**.”

 

Korra deflated. “ **I know, Father, but you have to let me be… me**.”

 

Tonraq nodded. “ **I suppose I just have to trust that you’re strong enough for all the pressure… and that you’ll ask for help if you need it. You can do as you want. It’s not like I could stop you anyway, right**?”

 

Korra mustered a slight grin, but Asami noted that it held none of her earlier energy or joy. Everyone turned back to their meals and finished in silence. Asami couldn’t help but focus on the words Korra had said. _It sounded like she said she was going to kill me. Why would she say that? Especially knowing that I could probably understand her? Was it a threat? What if she does try to kill me? If I act in self-defense, they might kill me anyway. If I run, I’ll die in the tundra. Maybe Dad was right. Maybe I’ll be leaving him alone after all._

“Asami?” Asami turned to see Nuktuk looking at her with concern. She realized then that her cheeks were wet with tears.

 

“ **Sorry.  I** … excuse me,” she said, saying in Canila what she didn’t know how to say in Valkakdo. She scrambled to her feet and walked briskly to her room. She dug a picture of her family from her trunk and sat down heavily in her furs, bringing her knees to her chest. She pulled her father’s pen-knife from her pocket and gripped it firmly in one hand as she held the picture in the other. Her eyes wandered over the forms of her parents until she could no longer see through her tears.

 

“Asami?” Nuktuk’s voice startled her and he looked apologetic when she stiffened. “ **Sorry**.”

 

Asami wiped her eyes with a sleeve, not loosening her grip on either item. She pushed herself up off the ground, but before she could respond, there was a second voice from outside the room. Korra’s.

 

Nuktuk replied to whatever she’d said. “ **Are you sure, Korra? She looks really upset**.”

 

Another quiet comment had Nuktuk glancing uneasily at Asami before he stepped out of the room. When Korra stepped in, Asami instinctively took a step back, putting her back to the wall. Korra stepped forward.

 

 


	8. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> SPOILERS AHEAD!!  
> Chapter 11 is here: http://archiveofourown.org/works/4735304/chapters/12208652

Korra paused, her eyes scanning Asami. “ **Are** **you afraid**?” she asked.

 

“ **You… kill me**?” Asami replied. She winced when she heard her own voice, soft and hesitant.

 

Korra relaxed and smiled slightly, raising her hands. “ **No. No kill you. Talk. Learn.** Eh… **Father afraid**.”

 

“ **Why**?” Asami asked, keeping her defensive position and her pen in hand.

 

“ **You** ,” she replied simply. _As if that explains everything when it explains nothing._

 

“ **I do not know why**.”

 

Korra’s face scrunched up in a pout. _That must be her ‘thinking face’._ Korra sighed, shaking her head. “ **I do not know how to explain. When you know more Kikuk, I tell you. You should try to learn quickly for when Chief Kiddro comes.”**

 

“ **Chief Kiddro? Why come**?”

 

Korra thought for a moment. She held one hand out, “Kavkaiav,” and then the other, calling it “Kiddro.” Then she brought her hands together. “ **Trade** ,” she held one hand out to Asami and one close to herself, then switched their positions. “ **Music, dance** ,” she shimmied and spun in a circle. “ **Food. Stories**. **Soon**. **Only a few days**.”

 

Korra’s gestures had brought her even closer to Asami, but with her huge smile shining through big, blue eyes, Asami felt herself relaxing. Korra tilted her head and pointed at the photograph. “ **What is** **this**?”

 

Asami glanced down and tucked her pen into her pocket before holding the picture up and pointing, “ **Mother. Father. Me.** ”

 

“ **She’s beautiful.”** Korra glanced up at Asami. “ **You look like her. How?”**

**“How?”**

 

“ **Is it… like what you did before? With Naga and Nuktuk**?” Korra mimicked the motions of drawing on a page.

 

“A drawing? No, it’s a picture. Oh, right, um…” Asami turned to her chest and started rummaging around until she found a box. She pulled a metallic contraption from the smaller box and held it up for Korra to see. “Satoshot. **You look here, and it…. um. Make** picture.”

 

“Picture.”

 

“ **Yes. This** ,” Asami said, holding up the photo of her family again.

 

Korra looked back and forth from the picture to the machine. “Picture Korra?”

 

Asami nodded and moved to the other side of the small room. She held the box up to her eye and pointed it at Korra who put her fists on her hips and frowned at the Satoshot. There was a click and some whirring noise, and Asami lowered the box. Korra’s frown deepened. “Picture?”

 

“Oh… **no make here**. **Need** … chemicals.” Korra’s frown turned to disappointment. “ **Can I** draw Korra?”

 

“Draw?”

 

Asami repeated the gesture Korra had used before. “Kikuk draw?”

 

Korra shook her head. “Asami draw.”

 

Asami moved back to her chest and pulled her book and charcoal pencils out. “ **Sit**?”

 

Korra sat down, again arranging herself to look angry, and Asami sat across from her, doing some very basic sketches to start. "Kikuk **no** book, **no** draw, **no** pen?”

 

“ **No**.”

 

Asami paused, looking up at her subject. “ **You angry**?”

 

“ **No, just for** ‘picture’.”

 

“ **Why?”**

 

“ **Your** picture. **Your family. They are happy**?”

 

Asami glanced at her photo, sadness returning to her eyes. “They were. **Yes**.”

 

Korra frowned. “ **If happy, why sad? You miss them**?”

 

“ **Mother is dead. Father is home. I am here**.”

 

Korra nodded. “ **You left a lot behind to come here. You are brave. Why did you come?”**

**“To learn,”** Asami replied simply. She returned to her sketches, turning the page to draw Korra in detail.

 

“ **Why?”**

 

Asami paused, considering the question. _The answer to that is far more complex than I can explain in the simple vocabulary I have now._ “ **I… I do not know the** …”

 

“ **Words**?”

 

Asami smiled. _She’s curious about me, maybe pointing at that will help her understand why I’m curious._ “ **Why you learn my language**?”

 

Korra grinned and narrowed her eyes. _Does she understand why I asked?_ “ **I want to know about you. Your people, but you too**.” Her eyes darted down to Asami’s still moving hand and quickly returned to her previous intimidating scowl.

 

Asami smiled. “ **Why**?” She looked up and locked eyes with Korra. They both searched each other as though the answers to their questions were written somewhere within.

 

“ **You are here. That is enough reason for me,”** Korra said, shrugging.

 

“ **You are here. I learn you** ,” Asami replied, hoping that her meaning was understood. **“Talk? Mother? Father? Husband? Nuktuk? Mako?”**

Korra’s laughter filled the room and Asami found herself smiling despite her apparent error. “ **Nuktuk, Mako, not husband. Brothers**.”

 

“Oh! **Tonraq’s sons**?”

 

Korra shook her head. “Kya.”

 

Asami contemplated this for a moment before moving to sit next to Korra, retrieving a pen along the way. “ **You tell me who father, mother is**?” As she started to turn to a new page, Korra’s hand stilled hers.

 

Korra stared at her likeness on the page, her fingers hovering just above the facial features Asami had drawn. Her eyes glared out from the page, almost daring her to make a comment and her mouth was set in a clear scowl.

 

Asami glanced up, suddenly nervous. “ **Good**?”

 

Korra smiled. “ **Yes. Good. Thank you.** ”

 

Asami nodded and turned the page to a fresh sheet. She drew a circle near the bottom and labeled it “Korra”. “ **This Korra**.” Korra nodded, so Asami continued, drawing a triangle and a circle linked above the Korra circle. “ **Your mother, Senna, father Tonraq**?”

 

“ **Yes.** ”

 

“ **Tonraq Senna sons? Daughters**?”

 

“ **No. Just me.”**

 

“ **Tonraq mother? Father?”**

 

Korra shook her head. “ **I do not know. Daklo.** ”

 

“ **Daklo?** ”

 

Korra held up her fingers and started listing, “Kavkaiav. Kiddro. Kauru. Hakkakaduno. Daklo.”

 

“Names of different Kikuk tribes?” Asami waved off Korra’s inquisitive look. “ **Senna mother**?”

 

“Anana. **Father** Niloq.” Asami marked another set of triangles and circles with the appropriate names.

 

“ **Niloq Chief**?”

 

Korra nodded. “ **Yes**. Before **my father**.”

 

“Before. Anana mother father?”

 

“Arrluk, Shila. Hakoda, Kya. Kopuk, Kanna,” Korra offered, understanding where Asami was going with this line of questioning.

 

Asami ran her finger down the line of triangles. “Chiefs?”  Korra nodded. “ **Not Kavkaiav**?”

 

“Niloq **from** Hakkakaduno. Arrluk Kiddro. Hakoda Kauru. Kopuk Daklo. Kavkaiav **all family. No marry**.”

 

“I **do not know ‘family, marry’,”** Asami said.

 

Korra pointed at the Sato family. “ **Mother, father, daughter. Family. Mother and father marry**.” _Family and some sort of marital bonding? Wait, if she knows six generations of mothers but nothing for the fathers, that’s pretty strong evidence of matrilineal descent._

**“Daughters Kavkaiav, sons go**?” Asami questioned.

 

Korra nodded. “ **Sons marry other women, become their family**. **After they are married, they are not Kavkaiav**.”

 

“ **After. Before, after**?” Asami asked, positioning her hands to indicate a binary opposite.

 

Korra nodded again. _Matrilineal it is then, which means they only trace their bloodlines through the women’s side of the family. And the implication of what she said seems to be that all the Kavkaiav are related. Maybe the women all trace their lineage back to this Kanna. If I remember correctly, the Valkakdo had a similar system, but patrilineal. They remembered back to their last common ancestor._

 

“Ok, **Anana daughters**?”

 

Korra shook her head. “ **Son, Unalaq. Chief Kiddro**.”

 

“ **Come here soon?** ” Asami asked, remembering that Korra had mentioned a visit earlier.

 

“ **Yes** ,” she replied, far more somber than she was previously when she had been dancing in pantomime. Asami noticed the change of mood, but rather than push, she decided to return to the previous conversation.

 

“ **Tonraq Chief. Niloq… dead**?”

 

Korra nodded, then pointed up and down the entire line above her parents. “ **All dead**.”

 

Asami passed the book and pen to Korra, then pointed at Kya’s name. “Mako, Nuktuk, Kya?”

 

“No.” Korra took the items and stared at the page for a moment. She then drew a line to indicate another of Kya’s children and drew a circle. “Katara.” A triangle next to Katara, “Kudad.” And a circle below them, “Kya.”  She then drew a child line directly from Kya’s circle down to two triangles. “Mako, Nuktuk.”

 

“ **No father**?”

 

“ **No**.”

 

**“Mako, Nuktuk, your brothers?”**

Korra nodded. **“All Kavkaiav family.”**

**“Is Kya your sister?”**

**“No. Aunt.”**

**“Katara?”**

**“Grandmother.”**

Asami frowned. These words didn’t seem to explain the relationships the way she’d expected. She shook her head and decided to work in another direction. “ **Korra husband**?”

 

Korra shook her head. “ **No. Soon**.”

 

Asami eased the notebook away from Korra, writing in the names she’d mentioned. “ **Who**?”

 

“ **Kiddro. Desna. Unalaq’s son**.”

 

 _If each tribe is a family, then the sons born in other tribes aren’t considered family. This is probably like the old royal families of the Earth Kingdom. Kavkaiav gave a chief’s son to Kiddro, so Kiddro is returning the exchange._ Asami looked over to Korra as she thought about the next question, but noticed that her mood had turned sour again.

 

“ **Desna bad?** ”

 

Korra nearly snorted then shrugged. “ **I don’t like him, but I don’t have much choice**.”

 

“ **I do not understand**.”

 

Korra sighed and leaned back in thought. “ **Mother and father happy. Marry good. Me Desna not happy. Not bad. Not good**.”

 

 _They don’t marry for love then, or at least she won’t._ “ **Why Desna? Why not….** ” Asami faltered. She had no words to describe anything like ‘other’. “… **marry happy**?”

 

Korra straightened, snapping out of her train of thought. “ **Asami husband**?”

 

Asami shook her head. “ **No**.”

 

“ **No? Why**?”

 

Asami raised an eyebrow at the apparent subject change, but decided to go along with it. _If I let Korra dictate the subject, I could learn something unexpected, and she’s more likely to open up about these sensitive topics later._ “ **Do not make me happy** ,” she replied with a shrug.

 

Korra frowned in thought. Asami unsuccessfully tried to stifle a yawn and Korra grinned at her. “ **Sleep. Tomorrow is bath day and I will show you the fishing grounds**.”

 

Asami looked at her blankly.

 

Korra stood and pointed at the furs, closing her eyes as if asleep. “ **Sleep. Bed. You me talk tomorrow**.” Before Asami could protest or say anything, Korra disappeared behind the furs at Asami’s door.


	9. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is the translated version! Spoilers ahead! Don't say I didn't warn you.

The next morning, Nuktuk came to retrieve Asami. As they entered the main living space of the Chief’s hut, Senna greeted them.

 

“ **Good morning. Breakfast**?”

 

“ **You know me too well, Senna. Thank you**.”

 

Senna set bowls of fish stew in front of the two guests, returning Asami’s smile. “ **What’s the plan for today, Nuktuk**?”

 

“ **Korra’s going to take her to the fishing grounds later since she seems sincere about learning about us**.”

 

Senna nodded. “ **Do you know if she plans to bring her to the spring**?”

 

Nuktuk tilted his head momentarily. “ **I don’t know. Do you think she’d care to go**?”

 

“ **I think she would. Maybe she’d see how things really get done around here** ,” Senna added with a jerk of her chin.

 

Nuktuk laughed. “ **Right** …”

 

“ **So what are you doing until she decides to get up**?”

 

Nuktuk paused, his face scrunching up as he thought. “ **I don’t know**.”

 

“ **Well… you could ask her what she wants to do**.”

 

Nuktuk’s eyes widened. “ **Oh… good idea**.” Nuktuk turned toward Asami who had been watching the back and forth intently. “ **What do you want to do**?”

 

Asami raised an eyebrow. “ **I do not know what you… talk**.” She frowned, sighed, and continued speaking what was likely gibberish. “ **Learn me talk**?” She pulled her notebook and pen from her pocket.

 

Senna smiled. “ **There you are. You can sit here and teach her more of our language**.”

 

As she started to go, Asami reached out. “ **Senna? Sorry.** Um **… You talk… Nuktuk? I…** listen,” she pointed at her ear. “ **I learn**.”

 

Senna’s initial look of surprise quickly turned into a warm smile as she took a seat next to Nuktuk. “ **Yes. I suppose this isn’t the first time I’ve taught someone to speak Kikuk. We’ll start with the basics**.”

 

~~~~~

 

The hours passed quickly and Senna stood to retrieve lunch just as Korra stepped into the main room. Senna grinned and put her forehead to Korra’s briefly. “Our polar bear dog finally woke from hibernation, Nuktuk,” she teased.

 

Korra groaned like an embarrassed teenager as she wriggled away from her mother to take a seat at the table. “ **You know** **how I feel about** **mornings**.”

 

“ **I do. I’ll have lunch** **out shortly**.”

 

“ **Thank you, Mother**.” Korra turned to see Asami scribbling something in her notebook. “ **What you** ….” Korra trailed off, gesturing towards the book.

 

“Writing. **I am** writing **words in my book**.”

 

“Writing. **What words you** writing?”

 

“ **What I see. You and Senna**.”

 

Korra grimaced. “ **No, not good. I am angry. Not… baby**.”

 

Asami tilted her head. _She wanted her picture and the drawing I did of her to look angry too.  She wants to have a reputation… or has one that she wants to maintain, perhaps. But for whose sake? Mine? The tribe’s? The outside world? Maybe it is a coming of age thing? Demanding more respect from people as she takes her place among the adults? When do they reach adulthood? She looks to be about my age, maybe a little younger. Most cultures would probably classify her as an adult… or they would if she was already married anyway. Or maybe ‘baby’ is a stand-in word for something else I don’t have a translation for. Maybe she doesn’t want to be seen as someone who is babied? Someone who needs protecting? Someone weak? Some-_

“Asami!” Korra’s voice interrupted her internal reasoning. “ **You good?** ” Korra was peering at her as though she might be sick or tired.

 

“ **Yes. Why angry**?” She quietly thanked Senna as she placed bowls in front of each of the people at the table.

 

Senna chuckled. “ **Korra thinks people should be afraid of her, like she’ll turn into a raging polar bear dog… but she’s just a pup**.”

 

Korra groaned again while Nuktuk chuckled into his stew. “ **Mother** …”

 

Senna raised her hands in surrender with a grin. “ **Enjoy your day today, pup**.”

 

Korra sighed and turned back to Asami. “ **Eat. Big day today**.” Korra finished her meal quickly. She rose and spoke to Senna quietly enough that Asami couldn’t understand, but returned with a smile. “ **We go fish**.”

 

She turned to Nuktuk and added, “ **Thank you for taking care of her this morning. I have it from here**.”

 

“ **So you are taking her to the spring? No problem. You know where to find me. Oh! Nitok should be done with her boots by now… otherwise she needs to be carried. She walks like a koala otter cub**.” Nuktuk and Asami both finished their meals and the three of them dressed in their heavy coats.

 

“ **Goodbye, Mother. We will see you soon**.”

 

Once outside, Nuktuk walked off with a nod while Korra turned toward the hut where Nitok had been the day prior. “ **Come**.”

 

Asami nodded and started off across the hard-packed snow, but nearly instantly felt herself slipping and falling, throwing her arms out and spinning in a futile attempt to stay upright. Instead of the hard impact of the cold ground, however, Asami opened her eyes to see Korra holding her in her arms, bridal style. “ **Nuktuk was right. You do walk like a koala otter cub** ,” she laughed.

 

Asami didn’t even know what Korra had said, but she blushed deeply, understanding it to be a joke at her expense. She moved to put her feet back on the ground, but Korra held tight. “ **No, I carry. Not far**.” When Korra started walking across the village’s open interior, Asami wrapped an arm around Korra’s shoulder, afraid of falling head first to the ground, but when she looked at Korra’s face, she didn’t appear to be struggling with Asami’s weight at all. Rather than gritting her teeth, Korra was grinning.

_First Nuktuk, now Korra? Are all the Kikuk so abnormally strong? Maybe it’s their diet and their physically demanding lives. Even walking from hut to hut takes a lot of work in this weather and environment. Tonraq looks like he could carry a mountain. Senna I’m not so sure about._

 

Korra’s eyes flickered back and forth between her destination and Asami’s eyes. _Is she blushing? Why is she… oh no._ Asami averted her gaze, realizing she’d been staring at Korra the entire time she was considering the relative strength of the Kikuk. Korra lowered Asami’s feet to the ground and made sure she was steady on her feet before removing her arm from Asami’s waist. She gestured towards the door. “ **New boots. Come**.”

 

Asami nodded and followed Korra into the hut. As they stepped inside, Asami watched Nitok’s face carefully. There was a flash of anger, but he seemed to school his features into something more neutral quickly. _Interesting. Is it the leftover threat of Nuktuk causing him to behave or does Korra demand this kind of respect herself? Nuktuk and Mako both seem to defer to her and she did say she wanted to be seen as angry. Maybe he’s afraid of her._

 

“ **You have Asami’s boots** **ready**?”

 

“ **Yes. Tell her to sit here**.” His voice was flat, void of emotion. Despite Asami’s understanding of the statement, Korra motioned towards the stone Nitok had mentioned. She took her seat and removed the boots she was wearing. He guided the boot, apparently covered in tiger-seal skin, over her foot and finished the last few stitches to get the fit right.

 

She glanced over to see Korra leaning against one of the supports for the hut, arms crossed. When she turned back, Nitok pulled his lip between his teeth in concentration, then hissed as his lip split open again. He simply closed his eyes for a moment then resumed his work, guiding Asami’s other foot into the second boot.

 

Before long, Nitok’s work was finished. “ **Done**.”

 

Korra walked over to the pair as they stood, motioning towards Nitok’s lip. “ **You’re** **bleeding**.”

 

Nitok grumbled something under his breath, but when Korra made a questioning sound, he spoke up. “ **Thank you**. **Have a nice** **day**.”

 

Korra huffed, but picked up Asami’s old boots and turned around to exit the hut. “ **Come, Asami. We go fish now**.”

 

Asami quickly followed Korra outside and across the snow. “ **He is angry at you**?”

 

“ **Yes, probably. He does not like me. Never has. Probably blames me for Nuktuk yesterday too**.”

 

“ **He is afraid**?”

 

Korra frowned slightly, but quickly grinned. “ **Look. You walk good now. No more Korra-carry**.”

 

Asami raised an eyebrow at the sudden change of conversation, but smiled back. “ **Yes. Thank you. But Korra carry good**.”

 

“ **No more free rides! You must learn to walk like Kikuk. Not like koala otter cub**.” Despite the negative words, Asami heard the amusement in Korra’s voice, and when Korra laughed, she chuckled along with her.


	10. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> SPOILERS AHEAD. Read at your own risk.

Asami followed Korra out of the village and around the ridge of another glacier where she was surprised to see open water, and in the distance what might have been the mouth of the bay. _After all the travel the day I arrived, I thought we were nowhere near water! I wonder why they met us so far from their home. Well… I suppose that would be prudent from a defensive standpoint._

 

There was a long, low building made of stone and hides tucked under the ledge of the glacier. At the water’s edge, a handful of men were spread out, performing various tasks with an assortment of tools. On occasion, one would shout something to the others which was met with an answering shout or laughter. As Korra and Asami drew closer, the men slowly noticed their arrival and the mood shifted subtly. _It’s almost like how the workers at Dad’s factory tend to straighten up when he walks the floor. I wonder if they see Korra as a supervisor or a boss… or at the least someone who would tell Tonraq if there was some sort of issue. Or… the people working here are all men. Maybe they’ve changed their behavior because we’re women rather than Korra’s position._

 

“ **This is where most of the food comes from. The fishing grounds,** ” Korra said, seemingly oblivious to the shift. “ **When the water goes back to the ocean, we collect nairo and nolklivo. When it’s high, we lower the nets so the fish collect over there where we can gather them as we need them. And out there** ,” Korra pointed at a bit of ice jutting out into the water, “ **we use the spears on bigger fish. There’s also a place where we gather other materials if we keep following the edge**.”

 

Asami tried to follow along as best she could, but her confusion must have been evident enough. Korra took her elbow and pulled her to the closest man. He was poking at the frosted ground with some sort of a long prod until he found his prey. He bent down to dig up a shelled creature and dropped it into one of the pouches draped over his shoulders. When he came across a familiar looking tuft of green, he plucked it from its place and put it in the pouch on his other side. Korra pointed, “ **Nairo. Nolklivo**.”

 

Asami felt her throat constrict at the memory of the stew Nuktuk had given her the day before and she nodded weakly. _It must be an acquired taste, and one I’ll have to acquire if I’m to live here for a year._

 

Korra moved on past another man doing the same thing to another who was fiddling with a net. It was laid out across a strip of land just under the surface, separating the bay from a pond. “ **When the water is high** ,” she held her hand up, palm down, “ **the fish come in, then we put up the net and when the water leaves again, they are stuck here until we pull them out**.”

 

“ **Come. The big fish are out here**.” As they walked out, the gradual slope of beach turned into a sudden drop as the ground gave way to thick ice above open water. Asami stepped carefully, keeping to the inland side of Korra. _These new boots are much more slip-resistant, but that water has to be deathly cold. I’d rather not be anywhere near the edge._

 

“ **Hello Kassuq**!” Korra waved at a man with a spear in hand. He turned and offered her a smile. When he saw Asami, his expression faltered slightly, but he straightened and held his hand up in greeting anyway.

 

“ **Korra. What can I do for you**?” He looked to be at least ten years older than Korra, just starting to age at the eyes, but he was strongly built and ruggedly handsome.

 

“ **I’m showing her where our food comes from. It’s good** ,” she replied with a smile. He nodded and held out his spear.

 

Korra turned to Asami. “ **Kassuq is our best spear fisher. Well… besides me, anyway**.” Kassuq scoffed. Korra pointed to the line that attached the spear to Kassuq’s upper arm. “ **See, we tie the spears to our arms so if it slips into the water, we can pull it back up. The water is too cold to go in after it. Out there, though, we have bigger spears tied to kaollodradduvdo to keep the big fish at the surface**.”

 

Kassuq glanced at Asami and back to Korra. “ **She knows what you’re saying**?”

 

Korra’s eyes widened slightly, realizing her mistake, but she nodded. “ **Some. She is learning. She’s smarter than I had expected**.”

 

“ **And the…”** he trailed off, his words heavy with implication.

 

Korra shook her head quickly with an emphatic “ **No**.”

 

Asami raised an eyebrow, but before she could ask, they were interrupted by a child of about seven. “Korra!”

 

Korra smiled and bent down to his level. “ **Hello, Kopuk. Learning to fish**?”

 

The child beamed within his heavy parka, gripping his spear in both hands. “ **Yes! Father says I can start fishing with him instead of picking the nolklivo**.”

 

“ **You’re growing up so fast, little brother. Soon, you’ll be going on the Hunt and everything**!” Korra pulled the hood down over the boy’s eyes sparking a laugh from Kassuq and Korra. The boy huffed as he straightened his parka. Korra glanced up at Asami. “ **Kopuk, have you met Asami**?”

 

“Asami?” he asked. Korra gestured up at the woman standing next to her. “ **Oh. No. Dad said I shouldn’t talk to her**.”

 

Kassuq’s cheeks darkened. **“I only meant that he shouldn’t bother her… and you know how kids talk.”**

 

“ **Well, Kopuk, this is Asami. She’s from very far away, across the seas. She came here to learn about the Kikuk. Why don’t you show her how to fish**?”

 

The boy looked up at Asami and smiled, eager to show off. He took off down the edge of the ice to find a good spot. When Kassuq started to follow, he pouted and shouted, “ **No, father! I’ve got it**!”

 

Kassuq chuckled in surrender and stopped. “ **Fine. Remember not to get too close to the water**.”

 

Kopuk sighed dramatically prompting a slight giggle from Asami. _Well that certainly seems to be a human universal._ The boy set his feet and watched the water carefully, waiting for just the right moment. His arm flashed out as he struck a fish with his spear. A sudden jerk ripped the spear out of the boy’s hand and just as Asami was thinking that it was good he had let go, she watched in horror as the line connecting the spear to the boy’s arm tightened and then pulled the boy in after it. She’d barely registered that he was no longer standing on the ice before Korra and Kassuq were sprinting down towards his last location.

 

Korra shouted back at Kassuq, “ **No! Get her inside. I’ll get him! Inside NOW**!”

 

Kassuq hesitated, but turned around quickly, grabbing Asami’s arm. “ **Come**!” Asami was frozen in fear as she realized what was happening, and Kassuq hoisted her over his shoulder, running towards the long building at the glacier’s edge, shouting at the men nearby.

 

Prompted by Kassuq’s shouting, the other men dropped what they were doing and moved hastily to other locations, but Asami didn’t notice any of it. Instead, her eyes were glued on the figure diving head-first beneath the frigid water. _They’re going to freeze to death or drown!_

 

Kassuq dropped Asami on her feet inside the building. Her knees nearly buckled from the abrupt weight put on them, but she immediately moved towards the exit again. Kassuq took hold of her shoulders. “ **No. You can’t go out there. Just… just stay here**.”

 

“ **Why? She needs help**!”

 

“ **Stop! The others will help. She— they’ll both be fine. You have to stay here**.” He punctuated ‘you’ and ‘here’ with sharp pointing gestures, unaware of how much she might actually understand.

 

Asami paused and eyed him. “ **Kopuk. Why you no help**?”

 

“ **Korra will save him**.”

 

Asami shook her head. “ **No, why you, me, no help. Why me here?”**

 

 “ **Because Korra said so**!” He frowned. He took a deep, calming breath. “ **Just…. Stay**.”

 

With the sudden silence falling between the two, they could hear a commotion from outside. Asami couldn’t quite place any of the words, but between hurried shouts and orders, she could hear relief and cheers. _Korra must have gotten to the boy then. Hopefully they are ok. Why would she want me here? And why would Kassuq be willing to follow her orders even though it was *his* son in the water? He’s older than she is. Does the Chief’s daughter really hold *this* much power? The ability to make people follow her orders against their own wishes?_

 

Asami looked over at Kassuq. He was pacing in front of the door, listening intently to the shouts outside. “ **You are afraid**.”

 

“ **Yes. The water is dangerous. Kopuk could die… and… Annak would never forgive me. Not after--** ” Kassuq’s statement was interrupted as several people filed into the building. First was one of the men who had been plucking seaprunes, carrying Kopuk. The boy was curled into a ball and soaking wet, shivering violently with a touch of blue around his lips. Kassuq immediately moved to their side, escorting them to the fire within. Korra was behind them, similarly soaked and shivering with tiny icicles already frozen at the tips of the tassels on her parka, but able to walk on her own. Asami met her eyes once, but she immediately turned toward the fire to warm herself.

 

The other men followed with dry furs and pelts and an arrangement of items that seemed to be forgotten in the excitement. Kopuk was stripped and wrapped in dry furs, his father wrapped around him like a personal blanket. “ **Thank you, Korra**.”

 

Korra nodded, but refused the help of the men holding furs out for her. She walked past Asami to the exit. “ **Come**.”

 

“Korra, you’re freezing! You…” Asami pantomimed shivering, trying to get her point across.

 

“ **Yes. Come**.” She stepped out into the frozen wasteland, and as Asami followed, she could swear she saw the fur of Korra’s parka frosting over.


	11. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I don't think there's any spoilers in this chapter, but the rest of them are all very very bad.

Asami quickly caught up to Korra. There was a shudder to her steps and her arms seemed to have trouble deciding whether they wanted to curl into her body or try to avoid touching the frozen furs around them.

 

“ **Korra? Where are we going? Why** … argh!” Asami growled in frustration over her lack of vocabulary.

 

Korra continued on, but through her shivers, she replied, “ **Going to** **baths**.”

 

Asami shook her head, not knowing what she meant. She peered into Korra’s hood to get a closer look. Korra was squinting into the breeze, but her eyelashes were frosted over and possibly even freezing to each other. Her jaw was clenched shut with determination, but there was a quiver as her body tried to keep itself warm through motion. _She’s freezing. Why didn’t she stay at the fire with Kopuk?_

 

Korra trudged forward, each step seeming to take more effort until Asami finally stepped in. She draped one of Korra’s arms across her shoulders and propped Korra up with an arm around her thickly padded waist. “ **Where, Korra**?”

 

Korra pressed a little more of her weight against Asami and lifted her other hand to point towards the mountains. Asami realized that Korra had been walking past the village instead of toward it. She pulled Korra closer as she walked, despite the realization that the insulation of her own clothes wouldn’t let any of her own heat transfer to the Kikuk woman. “Come on, Korra. Where are we going? You better not die. If I end up carrying your frozen corpse back to the village, they’ll string me up right there.”

 

“ **There** ,” Korra gasped. Asami spotted what looked like a cave entrance ahead and practically dragged Korra inside. The cave was more like a tunnel, making a few sharp turns before opening into a large underground area. Warmth washed over them as they entered, prompting a slight whimper from Korra. The interior was lit by two small fires near either end, casting dim light over a large pool of water.

 

As Asami’s eyes adjusted to the dimmer light, she realized the pool was full of people. “ **Mother** ,” Korra said softly, her voice wavering.

 

Asami looked up and at the people, all distracted by conversation. “Senna?” she called. Every head in the room turned toward them and the calm atmosphere shattered.

 

“Korra!” A handful of figures, Senna among them, rose from the pool and rushed towards Korra. “ **What** **happened**?”

 

Asami allowed the women to pull Korra away from her and tried to remember the words she needed. “ **Cold water** … **Fish** … um…”

 

Asami watched as the women pulled Korra right into the water with them and started taking her wet clothes off. As Korra’s parka hit the ground with a wet squelch, Asami realized the floor was littered with piles of furs and that each of the women who had come out of the pool were stark naked. Senna and another older woman each had one of Korra’s arms over their shoulders, holding her head above water as the other two pulled her boots and pants off, tossing them towards the fire. They each took a hand or foot and rubbed vigorously under the surface, trying to warm the half-frozen body between them.

 

“ **Korra?** **What** **happened**?” Senna asked, letting Korra’s shoulders sink into the water.

 

“ **Took a little swim at the fishing grounds**.” Asami released a breath she didn’t realize she was holding when she heard Korra’s voice, and the accompanying grin, so clearly. The three helping women relaxed a bit as well, giving the mother and daughter more space. Judging by her voice, being immersed in the water seemed to bring her right back to normal.

 

“ **I** **assume there’s more to the story than** **that** ,” Senna prompted.

 

“ **Kopuk got pulled in. Speared a fish twice his size**!”

 

“Kopuk?!” A new voice rang out in fear.

 

“ **He’ll be fine. Kassuq’s with him. I went in after him. Even got the fish. It’s a good first catch, even if the fish caught him back** ,” Korra chuckled.

 

“ **Go** , Annak,” Senna said softly, nodding towards the exit. When the woman pulled herself out of the pool, just as bare as the others and sporting a noticeable swell in her belly, Asami averted her eyes. _They don’t appear to have issues with nudity here… at least among members of the same sex._ _This must be a natural hot spring… and Korra certainly seems to be better._ _But why are they all here? And why did we come here instead of Korra warming up by the fire before?_

“Asami?” Senna called. When their eyes met, Senna bowed her head slightly. “ **Thank you** for **helping her**.”

 

Asami smiled and nodded. “ **Happy help. Korra good**?”

 

Korra grinned at her. “ **Yes. Thank you. Come. The water is** **warm**.” She gestured for Asami to join them in the water.

 

 -------

 _Today was quite an adventure._ Asami lifted her pen, considering where to start. _Korra showed me where they get their fish, though I really didn’t understand most of what she was saying. I still have quite a ways to go in learning the language. I think they let the tides do a lot of the work with the smaller fish and those… nolklivo._

_I saw a boy get pulled into the water today. His name is Kopuk. He was trying to spear a fish, but the fish weighed more than he did and pulled him right in. Korra went in after him, but other than knowing they both came out of the water, I don’t know how. Kopuk’s father rushed me into… I think it might have been akin to a warehouse or a tool shed. I don’t know why. Maybe Korra just didn’t want me to fall in trying to help. I haven’t exactly had the best of luck keeping my feet in the ice and snow so far._

_Kopuk’s fine. Kassuq came by around dinner to thank Korra again. He’s still recovering, but he will pull through just fine. ~~It was~~ Kassuq and I were both scared. That water is so cold. They could have been caught under ice and drowned or pulled out to sea or become hypothermic. On the walk to the hot springs, Korra almost couldn’t move on her own. I was afraid she’d die, right there in my arms. _

_I don’t know why she wanted to go there instead of staying at the fire. Maybe she didn’t want to strip out of her furs in front of all the men? She recovered very quickly once she was in the water. Maybe that’s why. But then why not bring Kopuk too?_

_Well, that brings me to the spring. All the women in the town were there. They pulled Korra into the water, took her clothes off, and made sure she wasn’t going to lose any fingers or toes to the cold. She was back to normal almost immediately._

_Korra then invited me to join them all in the pool. Have I mentioned that they were all naked? This is apparently a place where people bathe, but the women gather to talk. We must have come in late when the serious talking was mostly done. Senna seemed to be taking the lead, listening to the other women and offering advice, sometimes saying she’d talk to Tonraq. Korra sat near me, trying to ‘translate’ as best she could into words I knew, but… well, to be honest, she was a bit distracting._

_The fear I felt watching her dive into the bay and then the adrenaline from trying to get her to the hot spring, the awkwardness of trying not to be self-conscious stripping in front of half the town when they obviously have no qualms about nudity, and the sudden realization that under all those furs and pelts, Korra is… well, she’s amazingly fit. Obviously muscular, which I knew just from the ease of her carrying me across the village this morning, but still feminine, and the soft light from the fires inside the cave_

Asami blinked hard, jolting herself out of her sudden daydream. She looked at the page she was writing and hastily scribbled out the last paragraph, far too aware of the way her cheeks were burning. “Pull yourself together, Sato,” she mumbled.

 

“Asami?” Asami slammed her book shut as she looked up at the entrance to her room. A familiar pair of blue eyes peeked past the hanging furs. “ **Am I disturbing you**?”

 

Asami tried to calm herself, certain she was bright red by this point. “ **Korra? I don’t know what you are…** ”

 

“ **Saying**. ‘ **I don’t know what you’re** **saying** ’,” she offered.

 

“ **Saying. Disturbing**?”

 

“ **Do you** **want** **me to go**?” Korra still hadn’t entered the room, which was odd considering how many times she’d practically barged in over the last couple of days.

 

Asami shook her head and moved over on her bed of furs. “ **Come. Sit.** ”

 

Korra smiled and took the offered seat next to Asami. “ **I did not** **mean to** **scare you**.”

 

“ **No, not afraid**. **Why are you here?”**

 

“ **I** **wanted** **to learn** **more about** **you**. **Your people**. **What were you** writing?”

 

“Oh, um… Kopuk, **fish, water** …” _Definitely not you._

 

“ **May** **I see**?”

 

Asami reached for the book and opened it to the last page. _It’s a good thing she can’t read Canila yet._

 


	12. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Minor spoilers in this chapter.

A few days after the incident at the fishing grounds, Asami realized that she’d settled nicely into something of a routine. Her mornings were spent around the table with Senna, learning and practicing her Kikuk. Sometimes Nuktuk or one of the other women would join them. Korra would wake around lunch and show her around the village, sometimes glaring at people who seemed to dislike Asami, sometimes dodging questions with admirable skill.

 

 _She seems happy enough to explain many of the customs and activities of the village, but avoids questions about herself._ _She’s even changed the subject on questions that I didn’t think have anything to do with whatever she’s keeping from me. It almost seems random what she will and will not talk about, but that can’t be the case. Maybe there’s just more than one secret to keep._

 

Around dinnertime, they would return to the hut where Tonraq would often sit, silently disapproving of Korra’s decision to spend so much time with Asami. Sometimes someone would come in to “speak to the Chief,” asking for advice or help, but those conversations were often taken out of the room where Asami did not follow. Afterwards, Asami would take Korra to her room and they would reverse roles, Asami teaching Korra about Republic City, how to speak Canila, and the other wonders held in the pages of her books. Each night, when Asami grew tired, Korra would urge her to get some rest for the next day and excused herself.

 

Asami smiled, remembering the way Korra’s entire expression had lit up last night when Asami pulled out one of her zoology books. She spent the entire evening looking at the drawings of various animals, asking Asami questions about them.

 

Today, though, something was definitely different. There was a commotion around the village. People were moving with greater intent than their usually relaxed gait. More people came and went from the chief’s hut, and Senna had apologized when she told Asami she was needed elsewhere for the morning. Asami took her Satoshot, her sketchbook and a pen out to the open space in front of the chief’s home and started drawing.

 

She sketched what she thought an overhead view of the village would look like, the mixture of stone, bone, ice, and hide that made up the buildings in front of her, and the clothes people wore. As she brought her Satoshot to her eye to take a picture, a hand on her arm stopped her.

 

“ **Good morning,** Asami.”

 

Asami lowered the machine and turned her head, smiling at the person beside her. “ **Korra. You’re awake early**.”

 

Korra grinned back. “ **It is a big day today**.”

 

“ **I can see that. Why**?”

 

“ **Chief Kiddro is coming**. **We will have a big** **celebration**. …. **Food, music, dancing**.”

 

“ **We call that a** party. **It’s fun**.”

 

“ **You will have much to** write **about** ,” Korra smirked, bumping Asami’s shoulder with her own. “ **Kiddro will do a** kuvkohakdaalo 1.”

 

“Kuvkohakdaalo1?”

 

“ **It is a special dance that tells a story. Like the stories you told me last night!”** Asami smiled, remembering how excited Korra was to hear some of the fairy tales and fables she’d grown up with. When it was Korra’s turn to share, she’d been lost in thought for several moments then decided it was late and said good night to Asami.

 

“ **I can’t wait**. **You said they. Who is coming with the chief**?”

 

“ **I can’t wait**. **You said they. Who is coming with the chief**?”

 

“ **Chief, Chief’s family, unmarried adults, sometimes others if there are not many**.”

 

“ **How often do they visit? Do you visit them**?”

 

“ **You should get your** pook **out if you want to** write,” Korra laughed.

 

“ **I would like to, if you will talk**.”

 

“ **Go get it. We can sit inside**.”

 

Asami took her things back to her room and met Korra in the main room of the hut, pulling a notebook and pen from her pocket. She sat down in what had become her customary spot, next to Tonraq’s, and Korra took the spot next to her. Once Asami found a fresh page, Korra began.

 

“ **Families visit each other a few times each year.** Kiddro **comes today,** Kavkaiav **will go there before long. Only nearby families, though. It is too far to visit** Hakkakaduno **and** Kauru.”

 

Asami didn’t even look up from her notes, still writing down what Korra had said as well as questions that had come to mind. Her notes were a mix of automatically translated Canila and phonetically spelled Kikuk where the words didn’t come to her fast enough. “ **What are the visits for? What purpose**?”

 

“ **We trade. We have more fish and seals here and they have** kiddro avuk. **It is also another chance to find a husband or wife. That is why unmarried adults go. If we don’t find someone in the** xakadunarro 2, **we look during the Hunt**.”

 

“ **The Hunt. I’ve heard that before, but you’ve never told me what it is** ,” Asami prompted.

 

“ **The Great Hunt. It is like the** xakadunarro, **but much bigger. All the villages meet together. We have** **celebrations** **and ceremonies. A lot of things happen. Weddings, deaths. We also have a big hunt where** **we gather enough meat to last the** **blizzard season**.”

 

“Korra,” Tonraq interrupted, stepping into the main room. “ **They will be here soon. You must get ready**. **Your mother is waiting.** ”

 

Korra nodded with a sigh, then turned and gave Asami a smile. “ **I will be back. I want you to stay with me for the celebration. You’ll have the best view**.” She stood and let her fingers trail over Asami’s shoulder as she left for her room. Asami felt the heat in her cheeks rise. _Was that… did she… was that intentional? If this was Republic City… no. This isn’t my world. It probably doesn’t mean anything. She just knows I’ll want to see everything so I can take notes._

Tonraq huffed loud enough to startle Asami out of her thoughts and she felt herself blushing again as she looked up at him. He had his icy glare trained on her, his arms crossed in front of a decorative parka she hadn’t seen since her arrival. _Well I certainly haven’t earned his trust yet. He hasn’t spoken directly to me since he told me his name._

 

“ **Would you like to tell me about the** xakadunarro? **Any words from the chief**?” Asami asked, attempting to break the tension.

 

“ **No**.”

 

“ **You don’t like me**.”

 

Tonraq continued to stare.

 

“ **You don’t trust me**.”

 

Silence.

 

“ **Why do I scare you**?”

 

“ **I am not afraid**.” Asami’s eyebrows shot up. _I hadn’t expected him to actually respond._

 

“ **You think I will hurt you?** Korra? Kavkaiav? Kikuk? **I’m not here to hurt you. Any of you**.”

 

“ **We will see**.”

 

“ **I helped Korra. She could have died**.”

 

Tonraq huffed again. Asami sighed and returned to her book, translating the Kikuk notes and jotting down further questions that arose from the earlier interview. She tried to ignore the way Tonraq continued to stare at her. After what felt like forever, Asami trying to come up with more and more questions to ask so she wouldn’t have to look up at Tonraq’s glare ( _Seriously, how long can he look at me like that? His face will get stuck._ ) Korra returned to the main room with Senna.

 

“ **Father? Is something wrong**?” Korra asked, her tone indicating that she knew exactly what Tonraq was doing and she didn’t approve.

 

The chief took a deep breath, dropped his arms, and started for the door with Senna. “ **They will be here shortly. Do not be late**.”

 

As they left, Asami turned toward Korra. She was dressed in a near snow-white tunic decorated with fur tassels and carved bone. Her hair, still styled in the three ponytails that she had told Asami showed her status as a warrior, was now also braided and woven through with shell and bone. Around her neck was a final, flatter piece of bone with her name marked onto it.

 

“ **You look… special. I don’t know the right word. Important. Because you are the chief’s daughter**?” Asami asked, standing to get a better look and pocketing her notebook and pen.

 

Korra hesitated for a moment before nodding. “ **Yes**. **Come. We will go wait for Kiddro**.” Korra helped Asami pull her heavy coat on, then grabbed her hand to lead her outside.

 

They stepped outside just in time to see a group of people and kiddro avuk making their way through the village to the chief’s hut. The animals were all laden with leather sacks, full of what Asami guessed to be wares, food, and whatever other items were required for a trip between villages. In front of the group stood a tall, gaunt man and a pair of twins, alike in every way including clothing.

 

_Their clothes are more intricate and decorated than the others. They must be the chief and his family. Still, nobody else has quite as nice clothing as Korra… though I may be biased._

 

“ **Chief Kiddro. It is good to see you again** ,” Tonraq said, reaching out with his hand.

 

The other chief held his hand out and the two chiefs grasped each other’s’ forearms. “ **Chief Kavkaiav. Sister** ,” he nodded at Senna.

 

“ **Hello, Unalaq** ,” Senna responded. “ **You and your children are welcome to stay in our home during your visit. Kya will help the rest of your group find a place to sleep**.”

 

“ **Thank you**.” Unalaq’s eyes wandered over the four people standing in front of him, coming to a rest on Asami. “ **I see the rumors were true then**.”

 

“ **Kavkaiav seems to be collecting them** ,” one of the twins muttered.

 

“ **Is there a problem, Desna**?” Korra asked.

 

“ **No, my dear Korra. Simply an observation**. **I am looking forward to spending more time together during our visit**.” Asami slipped her hand free of Korra’s. _Oh. Desna. That’s who Korra’s supposed to marry. She still doesn’t seem thrilled about the idea._

 

“ **This is Asami. She is learning about the Kikuk and Korra has taken responsibility for her while she is here. Nitok informed you of the situation**?” Tonraq asked.

 

Unalaq nodded. “ **He met us outside the walls**.”

 

“ **Good. We can go inside to discuss trade arrangements then**.”

 

Asami watched Tonraq and Senna lead Unalaq inside. “ **She is rather pale, isn’t she**?” the other twin said, just as tonelessly as Desna.

 

“ **She also speaks some Kikuk** ,” Korra said flatly.

 

“ **Where is the other one? Nuktuk. He will be mine**.”

 

“ **Yours? You plan to marry him**?” Korra asked.

 

“ **Perhaps. We will see. Take me to him**.”

 

1 Kuvkohakdaalo is a term used to describe ceremonial mythological dances.

2 xakadunarro, literally “little visit” describes the small trade visits that happen between the annual Great Hunt.


End file.
